Her Fallen Saviour
by otpssssssssss
Summary: Prince Zuko jumped between the two benders, his shouts drowned out by the deafening crackle and bang of blue lightning shot from Azula's fingertips. He would have redirected it, if he had been ready. The Prince lay on the ground, the electricity racing through his hunched figure, and the waterbender was left to defeat Azula and save her friend. Cover found on totheheroes.


"No!" Katara could barely register what happened before Zuko's body collapse on the ground. Zuko's body spasmed violently and Katara could just see blue sparks flickering around his chest. She ran as fast as she could but stumbled as Azula shot another blue fireball in her path. The delinquent princess continued her volley of attacks at the waterbender, while the latter dodged them with cartwheels and tumbles and ice-surfing.

"I'd really rather our family position take care of our little Zuzu, if you don't mind." Azula cackled from a roof. Katara ducked behind a pillar, the fire singing the ends of her hair.

"Zuzu, you don't look so good!" Azula then proceeded to collect and shoot a bolt of lightning at Katara, once again, narrowly missing. She started running, but tripped instead. Katara's eyes slid to a line of grates that sat parallel to her position. She could just hear the splash of water below them, and quickly noted the loop of chains that hung on a chain by it.

"There you are, filthy peasant!" Azula screamed.

Katara peeked around her pillar, but a snap of lightning behind her drew her attention there. Azula was standing there, her lightning gathering around her. Katara darted forwards, positioning herself above the grates stoically, chain in hand, eyeing Azula, taunting her to attack. Just as expected, the Fire Princess had fallen for it, and the second before Azula launched her attack, Katara raised her hands in a sweeping moment, and the water from below moved up with her movements, and with a quick flick, it froze, trapping Katara and Azula, with the Princess's fingers just centimetres away from her opponent's face. Katara ended the water around her to become liquid once again, and with the chains, wrapped them around Azula, before releasing the water, leaving both of the benders choking for air.

Katara looped the chain around the grates, ignoring Azula's snorts and snarls from behind her. Once she was absolutely sure the bonds would hold, she left Azula, running straight towards Zuko. The boy was lying absolutely still, and his eyes were shut tight. Katara placed her ear to his heart, but she was met with empty silence. Tears started to form in her eyes as she pulled her water out from the pouch and held it over Zuko's chest, trying desperately to pump the breath back into his lungs. But after multiple times of trying over and over again, Katara returned the water into the pouch, and instead, laid her ear against his chest, begging in her head to let Zuko wake up, to let him open his eyes and tell her he was okay, and everything was going to be fine. And almost as if her prayers had been answered, she started to hear the faintest of heartbeats. After a while, she started to get worried, worried that the heartbeat was too faint, too slow, for Zuko to possibly be alive for much longer. She pressed her healing water on his chest, desperate to strengthen the heartbeat. She tried so hard, once again repeating the procedure to the best of her ability.

But once again her healing failed her, and she turned to her last resort. She took the Spirit Oasis flask from her pocket, but there was not a single drop left. She had used it all up when Azula shot Aang with her lightning. Katara realised, with her head now pressed to his chest, that his heartbeat was too slow to support him. There was only one more way to save him. She had to bloodbend. She glanced up at the sky, almost laughing at the irony of the situation. She had to bloodbend on the day where her opposite element was the strongest. She had to try in order to save him.

She stood, and stepped into a stable stance, focused her bending on his heart, feeling the tiny water molecules in his blood. Bending the blood through his vein, she felt Zuko's breathing start to regulate, and his body start to adjust slowly. Katara stopped bloodbending and almost immediately he stopped breathing normally, and his chest rose and sank rapidly at irregular intervals. She realised - without her bloodbending allowing him constant blood flow, he would not live. She glanced towards Appa, who had landed by them with a puff of air.

"Appa, yip yip!" Katara shouted, quickly hauling Zuko onto the bison's back whilst bloodbending with one hand at the same time. She looped the reins around her wrist, and kept bloodbending, fighting the fatigue that was settling in. She would not stop, however, as she knew her Fire Prince of a savior would not live without it.

"You have to wake up! You _have_ to survive! You can't just leave like this. Your uncle is waiting for you in Ba Sing Se! All of us are waiting for you! Please!" Katara choked back a sob while yelling the words at him, even though she knew that he couldn't hear her. Zuko however did not even stir, and remained in his vegetative state.

"Why? I didn't tell you to save me! You should have let me die instead! Your life is more important! It's not over yet! You still have duties as the Fire Lord, remember?" Katara scolded Zuko, her sobs drowning out her words. She looked towards Appa's bobbing head. "Appa, faster! _Faster!_ " She demanded, barely even registering the Fire Nation veiled in flames and smoke below her.

Aang, Sokka, Suki, Toph and Iroh all sat by Zuko's side, with Katara standing in her bloodbending position, steadily circulating Zuko's blood. Aang looked concerned, but Katara was too focused on her job than to notice his worried glances.

"Please save him! I cannot bear to lose another _son_ of mine." Iroh begged Katara with pleading eyes.

Katara nodded her head without looking at Iroh for even a second, for if she did, her concentration would be broken and Zuko might die. Iroh left the room, singing a song that seemed very familiar to Katara. She did not bother to find out as her concentration would be broken.

Finally, Sokka once again said exactly what was on everyone's mind. "Katara, are you _honestly_ going to stand there and bloodbend until he wakes up?"

Katara shot a withering look at him."He _will_ wake up. Zuko's heart just needs some help."

Aang looked skeptical. "But what if he doesn't?"

"Then I will stand here until he does."

"Sugar Queen, you can't stand here all day and all night like this." Toph pointed out, sounding a little annoyed. "You're going to kill yourself trying to keep him alive. We don't want you dead on our watch."

"None of you guys get it, do you?" Katara screamed. "Zuko saved my life. I can't let another person die because of me." Tears started to form in her eyes, "I _have_ to save him."

"Katara, believe me, I get it. I know how you feel. I may not be able to help you heal him, but still if you need help, tell me." Sokka comforted his sister sadly.

Suki nodded her head, agreeing with Sokka. "We'll _all_ be here."

"Is it just me, or am I sensing a little more than gratitude from Sugar Queen?" Toph teased, trying to lighten the mood.

Katara hated herself for blushing. "Just leave me alone. I need to concentrate on keeping the _Fire Lord_ alive."

Toph shrugged, and she, Sokka and Suki moved out of the room, leaving Aang with Katara. He laid a hand on her hunched shoulder. "Look Katara, I can waterbend too. If you need any help, or a break, I'm here for you." Aang's hand lingered on her shoulder for a moment more before he left the infirmary, leaving the two of them alone. Katara could hardly stand the sight of Zuko lying there, so pale and so dead-looking. _He's not dead, he's not dead._ She repeated silently, cursing herself for even thinking of something so terrible. _There's still a chance._

 _There's still a way._

Hours that seemed like days past by, and her friends had flitted in and out of the infirmary, offering her a glass of water to drink, or a plate of food for her to eat, all of which were denied. For a time, Aang had sat there on the other side of Zuko's bed, trying to convince her to let him take over, for her to teach him her bloodbending techniques. Katara barely even looked up at him, and he was refuted. Katara did not understand why she was automatically so stubborn when it came to her well-being, when Zuko lay unconscious at her side. She felt as if Zuko had laid down his life for her, and to leave him alone would be a horrible, ungrateful thing to do. If she had a way to save him, then she would not stop, not rest, until he was awake, and sitting up in this very bed. She wanted to be here when he woke, so she could gather him in her arms and embrace him, the Fire Lord, the friend who had saved her at the expense of his own life. She wanted him to be the first person he saw when he woke up.

However, as the hours went by, and deep into the night, the hunger and thirst set in, and she chided herself for not accepting Aang's generous offer. She wanted to call out for him, wake him from his sleep, so that he could come by and take over, so she could devour the delicious-looking plate of food which stood right next to her, or gulp down the water which sat by it. She wanted to put her hands down, to take a break for the shortest of seconds, but _no_ , she could not. Even the slimmest of moments of rest could mean death for the Fire Lord.

His life was _literally_ in her hands.

"Katara?"

Katara almost cried out in relief at the sound of Aang's voice. The airbender was dressed in his sleepwear, which was covered with a simple robe, and his eyes were filled with the shock of seeing Katara still standing there, awake, drilled to her post.

"Oh Aang." Katara's eyelids drooped, her hands fell limp, and she collapsed on the bed behind her, the fatigue starting to take her. Aang rushed forwards, and copied her previous stance, trying in vain to move Zuko's blood through his arteries.

"Katara, what do I do?" He shouted, panic forming in his voice. He tried shaking her awake with one hand.

Katara mumbled something about her technique, but her words were slurred with her drowsiness, and came out incoherent.

"Katara, please tell me. We're losing him; he's not breathing!"

At those words, Katara's eyelid's jerked open, and she jumped to her feet, bloodbending his blood again. Once she confirmed he was out of danger, she started teaching Aang bloodbending as quickly as she could about what to do while bloodbending Zuko's blood at the same time. She plopped back down on the bed, exhausted. Aang was getting a little better now, and Katara started to relax a little, wolfing down the food that Sokka had brought her, and chugging down the water that Toph had offered just after Sokka did. Aang nodded at Katara over his shoulder, reassuring her that Zuko was fine. Katara smiled slightly, and she could barely close her eyes before she had fallen asleep.

The next morning, Aang was still standing at his post, wide awake, much to Katara's great surprise and admiration. Zuko, however still remained lifeless. For a moment, her motherly instincts acted up, and she was genuinely concerned for Aang.

"Aang, let me take over. You need to sleep as well. Your fight with Ozai should have taken a lot of energy out of you." Katara asked, concern laced in her tone.

"Katara, are you sure you can start again? You looked exhausted."

"I'll be fine. You don't have to worry about me. Help me tell Iroh that we're doing the best we can to help him stay alive."

"Fine. I'll be back in the afternoon to check up on you, alright?" Aang made sure to say before leaving the room.

Katara stood and resumed bloodbending again, trying to not look at Zuko's lifeless body. But she could not stop the tears forming in her ocean blue eyes, since he reminded her of someone else she had lost - her mother. She remembered how her mother was left to die by that horrible man, Yon Rha. Her mother had been attacked by the firebender, and they had found her body, smoking, blood dribbling out of her mouth. She constantly played the gruesome scene over in her mind, unable to forget her mother's lifeless corpse. But there was a difference between these two terrible situations. Zuko still had a chance.

Katara seldom left her post, even in rest. When Aang took over, she normally sat on the neighboring bed, monitoring Aang's every move, keeping him under a firm eye. When he made the slightest of mistakes, she would instantly chide him, ignoring Aang's fervent apologies and immediate change in technique.

"I'm trying my best here, Katara!" Aang groaned after Katara glared for the one thousandth time. "I can't help it if I'm not a natural bloodbender."

"Zuko's life is literally in our hands. You've had two whole months to practice. You should have gotten it by now." Aang's eye turned downcast, and Katara suddenly felt guilty.

"I'm sorry Aang. I know you're trying your best. But it's been two whole months and he's not waking up. I feel so frustrated I can't do anything more for him. I'm a healer but I can't even save his life. Yugoda would have done a much better job."

Aang shot a sympathetic glance over his shoulder. "Katara, you're going the best you can right now. If it wasn't for you, Zuko would be long gone."

Katara smiled slightly at those words. "Thanks Aang. You've been such a good friend to me."

At that moment, there was a slam of door against wall, and Katara and Aang's heads snapped up to see a short, bearded man hurry forward; Uncle Iroh, dressed in his blue and cream White Lotus uniform. Katara slid off the bed, and greeted him cheerfully.

"What brings you here?"

"It's about the coronation. We've delayed it for as long as we could." Iroh paced slowly around the room, and paused at his nephews bedside.

"My nephew, please wake up soon. Everyone is waiting for your coronation. Everyone is waiting for Fire Lord Zuko." Iroh pleaded as tears rolled down his eyes.

 _Leaves from the vine,_

 _falling so slow.  
Like fragile, tiny shells,  
Drifting in the foam.  
Little soldier boy, _

_come marching home.  
Brave soldier boy, _

_comes marching home._

All of them stood in silence for a moment, above the Fire Lord in the coma-induced sleep, listening as the melody faded into the air. Aang was the one to break the silence.

"So what about the coronation?"

"He has to be crowned, and soon, but he can't in this state. It will bring unrest to the Nation, and my nephew won't be there to deal with it. Perhaps you could help to explain his situation, Avatar Aang?"

"Either way, it will bring unrest. People don't like being ruled by a so-called 'dead' man."

"He's not _dead!_ Why does everyone treat him like he is? He's just... in a deep sleep.."

"You have to be realistic here, Katara. I know he's not dead, but he can't rule a nation like this."

"I know, but I can save him! He's still alive! Just give me a little more time!" Katara begged desperately.

"Unbeing dead isn't being alive, Katara." Iroh said slowly "Sometimes you just have to let go."

"So now you're going to give up on him?" Katara fumed. "Didn't you say he was like a son to you?"

"Katara, it's better to let him go and forgive yourself for it." Aang persuaded Katara.

"I can't. I won't." Katara swiftly took post at Zuko's side. She shot a piercing glare at the two of them. "I don't think I need any more of your help."

Katara was by Zuko's side on coronation day. She was bloodbending as per usual, and she could see and hear the celebrations outside. She laid a hand against Zuko's cold cheek, cupping it gently like a mother would her child.

"They're all for you. The celebrations. They all want you back. The only thing missing is you. Please Fire Lord Zuko, we all need you here." She slipped her hand out from under his cheek.

Katara positioned her hands over his heart, forcing the blood through his veins with her bending. "It hurts everyone to see you like this Zuko. I just wish you could wake up and see all this. See your nation change in front of your very eyes."

Zuko remained silent and still.

"Zuko, I'm killing myself keeping you alive, and I don't know if...if it would be all worth it." Katara whispered. "Aang and Iroh were right. They're out there, you know, telling the whole world about what happened to you. They're still going to coronate you though. Just through a representative."

"If you ever will wake up any time soon, we're all waiting for you, Zuko. I'll be right here with you when you wake up."

Iroh and Aang moved to the very edge of the steps that led down to the courtyard of the Fire Palace. Aang took a step forward before starting his speech.

"The Hundred Year War is finally over. And with the fall of one King, comes the rise of another. However, the soon-to-be Fire Lord, Prince Zuko was injured whilst fighting during Sozin's Comet. Being unable to redirect it on time, he took a lightning strike to his heart and lost consciousness. He is still in a best possible health, and we owe our thanks to Katara of the Southern Water Tribe. Through her healing powers, she managed to sustain our Prince, and he is on his way to a slow but certain recovery. Rest assured one day, Fire Lord Zuko will come back to rule the Fire Nation with the wisdom and honor that his father lacked."

"Prince Zuko will recover! He will come back to rule the Fire Nation and bring back its original honor! Prince Zuko!" Iroh pumped his fist into the air, chanting his beloved nephew's name with such passion that the congregation took up the call, so that the entire courtyard was booming with the shouts proclaiming their support for the Fire Prince. Iroh held back the tears that were threatening to fall out of his eyes.

Toph, stood up, staring straight at Iroh with her grief filled milky jade eyes and said, "He's lying."

Katara could hear the cheers. She could also hear crowds intense happiness when the representative was handed with the crown of the Fire Lord. Her smiling face turned to Zuko's pallid one. "Can you hear that? They're cheering for you."

Zuko, as expected, had no reaction. Katara had the weird urge to scream. Scream of grief of anger, or of frustration, she did not know. She just wanted to to scream. To scream at Zuko to wake up, to stop hurting her and the others like this. For him to push through and live. But as loud as she would scream, nothing would have happened. Her hands started to shudder and the tears started to flow.

"Zuko, I'm giving up!" Katara sobbed. "I can't do this much longer. I keep thinking you're going to wake up, but I know you're never going to. I know, but I don't believe it."

Katara's hands shuddered, and her blood ending stopped for the slightest of seconds before continuing again. Her movements became more frantic and clumsy as her anguish increased. "I'm sorry. I let someone die because of me again."

She kept her eyes pinned on the Fire Lord's face, which looked so peaceful, as if he was just asleep. She bent down, and pressed her lips to his cheek, her tears starting to pool on his face. "Zuko, you saved me once. And now, I'm going to save you."

Katara's hands shuddered, and fell limp to her side, and she could almost hear Zuko's last, choking breath, before everything went silent. The only thing that could be heard were the muffled celebrations for the new Fire Lord outside, accompanied with Katara's wrenching sobs, and Zuko's dead silence. Katara collapsed on the floor and slowly blacked out from exhaustion.

 _You would have been a great ruler, Zuko. I hope you will be at peace._


End file.
